6 Human Foods that Cats Can Eat

How often does it happen that you sit down on the couch after coming home from a long day at work, switch on the television, and are about to tuck into a delicious snack or meal, when you suddenly feel something plopping down on your feet.

Oh hey! It’s your little furball coiling around your legs, looking at you with wide eyes and meow-ing away softly because it wants a tidbit of your food.

As tempted as you might be to feed it a bite or two because it’s so hard to resist that adorable face looking at you so imploringly, do you know if it’s safe for your little cat?

Well, as it turns out, there are many human foods cats can eat that are perfectly safe for feline creatures. Interestingly, many things from your pantry and refrigerator are actually really healthy for your furry buddy, too!

Human Foods That Are Safe for Cats

Take a look at some healthy and harmless human foods cats can eat that you can share with them without any guilt.

1. Fish

Most cats absolutely love eating fish, and the chances are that your cat does too!

Salmon, in particular, is highly popular among most types of cats and is also featured in many commercial cat foods as well.

As we all know, fish contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids that can significantly help boost your pet’s health. It’s also delicious and your cat will thoroughly enjoy it. Just make sure that you feed it fish that is properly cooked without any bones. Never give it raw fish because that certainly isn’t a good idea.

2. Meat

Cats are carnivores, so naturally, they love meat. To put it simply, they are true meat-eaters.

Beef and poultry are ideal meat options for your feline pet, but you can also feed it duck and turkey.

Meat provides cats with all the protein they need for a healthy reproductive system, good vision and a strong heart.

However, just like with fish, never feed your cat raw meat. Make sure it’s properly cooked and doesn’t contain any skin or bones.

3. Spinach

If you’ve ever seen your cat nibbling on houseplants or grass, it’s a sign that your pet likes leafy greens. Spinach is a popular favorite among cats, and many cat foods also contain spinach among other ingredients.

Spinach is full of essential minerals and vitamins such as A, K, C, as well as iron and calcium. It’s a totally safe and healthy treat for your furry friend, but do bear in mind that spinach is not suitable for cats that have urinary or kidney problems.

4. Blueberries

Many cats love snacking on frozen blueberries, given how delicious they are.

It’s rich in antioxidants, making it a completely safe fruit treat to give to your cat, but make sure that you feed your pet blueberries in moderation, regardless of how healthy they are.

5. Whole Grains

This is one of the best human foods cats can eat as whole grains are loaded with nutrition, including iron, vitamins and fiber.

You can feed them different grain varieties such as oats, polenta, corn, barley, brown rice and wheat berries.

Remember here that cats prefer smaller grains, so you might have to mash up the larger varieties and also make sure that you feed your cat properly cooked grains so that they can easily digest it.

6. Fruits

Bananas are one of the most common types of fruit that most pet owners give to their cats, but you can also feed your furball other fruits, including peeled applies without seeds, cantaloupe without seeds, and pumpkin, to name a few.

Many people don’t know this, but cats are unable to taste sweet flavors as they don’t have the sweet flavor profile, which probably explains your cat’s disinterest in fruits.

However, an occasional sweet treat works for them.

These are a few of the many human foods cats can eat, which you can easily feed your pet at the dinner table without it having to beg you with those kitty eyes to give it a tidbit from your dinner.

Human Foods Cats Can’t Eat

However, there are also some foods that are equally harmful to cats, and even an ounce of these items can lead to serious health issues in your pet.

Take a look at some human foods that are super dangerous for cats that you should never feed them.

• Chocolate (dark chocolate in particular)
• Nuts (especially walnuts and macadamia nuts)
• Coconut milk
• Raw and uncooked dough bread
• Raw fish
• Raw meat
• Garlic
• Onions
• Shallots
• leeks
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Plant-based milk (high in fats and oils)
• Sugar and spices in general
• Candy and gum
• Ice cream (contains propylene glycol)
• Grapes
• Raisins

Keep Your Cat Healthy and Safe

There may be times when your curiosity wants to get the better of you, but never experiment when it comes to your pet’s food.

Only feed your furball human foods cats can eat, and keep away all those foods that aren’t safe for them. With cats, you never know when they find their way into your pantry, and the next thing you know, they are nibbling away at things that they shouldn’t be eating.

Unsafe foods can lead to serious health issues in your cat, and you certainly don’t want that, right?

Even with the safe options, you must exercise caution and only feed them to your cat in moderation. An excess of any food, no matter how safe, isn’t good for your cat.

After all, there’s nothing like a healthy, fun and active cat that eats well, jumps around, plays with you and proves to be a wonderful companion for you and your family!